Published: Monday, April 29, 2013 at 9:02 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, April 29, 2013 at 9:02 p.m.

Workers in the oil and gas extraction industries are seven times more likely to die on the job than the average American worker, according to a recent government report.

The most deadly activity involved transportation to and from the oilfield, and that was mainly through helicopters, the report said.

The study was compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention using numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries from 2003 to 2010.

In that period, there were 128 deaths related to onshore and offshore oilfields. The fatality rate for oilfield jobs was 27.1 per 100,000 workers while the fatality rate for all other jobs was about three in 100,000 workers.

“Despite a 63 percent decrease in the number of active offshore drilling rigs during 2003–2010, the number of annual fatalities during offshore operations remained stable, resulting in a statistically significant increase in the number of fatalities per rig rate,” the study found.

All but one fatality during this period occurred in Gulf of Mexico operations, and all the deaths were of men.

The 2010 flaming explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig and the 11 lives lost has been the most publicized deadly accident the industry has seen, but transportation to and from the oilfield accounted for a majority of the fatalities.

Three out of four fatalities — 49 total — involved helicopters that are the primary vehicle used to transport workers to and from offshore rigs.

About 12 percent of the transportation fatalities involved a watercraft.

There were 17 helicopter crashes during the period studied. Mechanical failure accounted for five crashes, and bad weather accounted for three crashes.

In five of the crashes, the helicopter's occupants were said to have survived impact but drowned, the report states.

The report notes the Federal Aviation Administration has partnered with the oil and gas industry to more accurately monitor weather and flight paths. Since, 2009 when these reforms were implemented in the Gulf, there have been no-weather related fatal crashes during oil and gas operations through the end of 2012.

“It is safer. I know what these (pilots) have to train thorough now,” said Joe Wheeler, manager of the South Lafourche Airport in Galliano.

Wheeler said he can see how the thousands of helicopter flights through the sky at 150 mph could result in more deaths than stationary work on a platform but added he wouldn't hesitate getting on a helicopter.

In 2011, the Helicopter Safety Advisory Conference reported more than 2.2 million passengers carried offshore. The conference statistics come from 14 participating operators and are not said to be all inclusive.

Terrebonne and Lafourche see tens of thousands of flights bound for offshore oil rigs leave their airspace each year. Dozens of helicopters carrying riggers, engineers, contractors and other workers lift off from area airports each day.

Of the South Lafourche Airport's 20,000 operations each year, Wheeler estimated 70 percent are servicing the oilfield.

Of the 88,000 operations each year at the Houma-Terrebonne Airport, about 72 percent are for offshore service, airport Executive Director David Slayter said.

Helicopter companies also have a large footprint on Terrebonne's tax roll. PHI, a Lafayette-based chopper company, is the parish's second-largest taxpayer with $2.6 million in property taxes last year on its fleet of offshore service helicopters based in the parish.

<p>Workers in the oil and gas extraction industries are seven times more likely to die on the job than the average American worker, according to a recent government report. </p><p>The most deadly activity involved transportation to and from the oilfield, and that was mainly through helicopters, the report said. </p><p>The study was compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention using numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries from 2003 to 2010. </p><p>In that period, there were 128 deaths related to onshore and offshore oilfields. The fatality rate for oilfield jobs was 27.1 per 100,000 workers while the fatality rate for all other jobs was about three in 100,000 workers. </p><p>“Despite a 63 percent decrease in the number of active offshore drilling rigs during 2003–2010, the number of annual fatalities during offshore operations remained stable, resulting in a statistically significant increase in the number of fatalities per rig rate,” the study found. </p><p>All but one fatality during this period occurred in Gulf of Mexico operations, and all the deaths were of men.</p><p>The 2010 flaming explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig and the 11 lives lost has been the most publicized deadly accident the industry has seen, but transportation to and from the oilfield accounted for a majority of the fatalities. </p><p>Three out of four fatalities — 49 total — involved helicopters that are the primary vehicle used to transport workers to and from offshore rigs. </p><p>About 12 percent of the transportation fatalities involved a watercraft. </p><p>There were 17 helicopter crashes during the period studied. Mechanical failure accounted for five crashes, and bad weather accounted for three crashes. </p><p>In five of the crashes, the helicopter's occupants were said to have survived impact but drowned, the report states. </p><p>The report notes the Federal Aviation Administration has partnered with the oil and gas industry to more accurately monitor weather and flight paths. Since, 2009 when these reforms were implemented in the Gulf, there have been no-weather related fatal crashes during oil and gas operations through the end of 2012. </p><p>“It is safer. I know what these (pilots) have to train thorough now,” said Joe Wheeler, manager of the South Lafourche Airport in Galliano.</p><p>Wheeler said he can see how the thousands of helicopter flights through the sky at 150 mph could result in more deaths than stationary work on a platform but added he wouldn't hesitate getting on a helicopter. </p><p>In 2011, the Helicopter Safety Advisory Conference reported more than 2.2 million passengers carried offshore. The conference statistics come from 14 participating operators and are not said to be all inclusive. </p><p>Terrebonne and Lafourche see tens of thousands of flights bound for offshore oil rigs leave their airspace each year. Dozens of helicopters carrying riggers, engineers, contractors and other workers lift off from area airports each day.</p><p>Of the South Lafourche Airport's 20,000 operations each year, Wheeler estimated 70 percent are servicing the oilfield.</p><p>Of the 88,000 operations each year at the Houma-Terrebonne Airport, about 72 percent are for offshore service, airport Executive Director David Slayter said. </p><p>Helicopter companies also have a large footprint on Terrebonne's tax roll. PHI, a Lafayette-based chopper company, is the parish's second-largest taxpayer with $2.6 million in property taxes last year on its fleet of offshore service helicopters based in the parish.</p>